Hardik Pandya or Nitish Kumar Reddy? Dinesh Karthik's blunt verdict on the fast bowling all-rounder debate

Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik opened up about the ongoing comparisons between Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Dinesh Karthik said that he wouldn't put Nitish Kumar Reddy in the Hardik Pandya mould, despite his potential to deliver impressive performances for India in the future.

Nitish won the Emerging Player award in the IPL 2024 season. He scored 303 runs while playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the last season. Reddy also took three wickets in the tournament. His impressive performances earned him a debut for India during the T20I series against Bangladesh.

Wouldn't Put Nitish Kumar Reddy In The Hardik Pandya Mould - Dinesh Karthik

In an interaction with Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik expressed uncertainty about Nitish Kumar Reddy's ability to bowl four overs in a match. Karthik added that he wouldn't compare him to Hardik Pandya at this stage.

However, the former RCB cricketer praised Reddy for his impressive batting skills and added that he is one of the fastest fielders in India. Karthik said that Nitish has the potential to become one of the greatest cricketers.

"I wouldn't put him in the Hardik Pandya mould, and I say that because you are not guaranteed four overs from Nitish Kumar Reddy at the moment," Karthik told Cricbuzz.

"He could go on to become that, but what we can be very excited about is his batting talent. He is an outstanding fielder—one of the quickest in the country—so that is another major plus,” he added.

Hardik Pandya Delivered All-Round Performance During 1st T20I

India secured a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first T20I in Gwalior on Sunday, October 6. The Indian team reached the target of 127 runs in just 11.5 overs to secure a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. Hardik Pandya delivered an impressive performance with both bat and ball.

Pandya conceded only 26 runs in his four overs and took one wicket with his tight bowling. In the second innings, he was the top scorer for India with 39 runs off just 16 balls, with the help of five fours and two sixes. Nitish Kumar Reddy remained unbeaten on 16 runs off 15 balls, including one six.

Nitish Kumar Reddy Did Really Well - Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik said that Nitish Kumar Reddy successfully maintained the aggressive tempo set by Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Karthik emphasized that batting in the middle order for SRH is challenging due to the aggressive style of the opening pair.

"What I really like about him is - playing for SRH is not easy as a middle-order batter because the tempo with which Head and Abhishek starts is very different to any other IPL team, they just get off to a flyer. What Nitish Reddy did really well was coming and continuing that tempo, and that requires skill," Karthik added.

"It's one thing taking 5-6 balls, taking your time and exploding, but a lot of times, he was able to maintain the momentum or run rate that the openers and number have set and that I love about him. It's not an easy skill, and it tells me that he is a man who is very sure of the shots he wants to play," he concluded.

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